Hunter X Hunter: Tombbound Power

As the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugal to extravagant, but difficult to go from extravagant to frugal.

After getting used to the human flesh processed by Ronnel, the tongues of those wealthy and powerful bosses certainly weren't willing to accept anything of lesser quality. But now that Ronnel had left, their source of premium human flesh had been cut off, leaving those rich bosses...

It's hard to explain!

The old man massaged his temples with his fingers, feeling a headache creep in.

Of course, being from the streets of Meteor City, it wasn't a huge deal if things couldn't be explained smoothly. But the real concern was that the lucrative relationships and cooperation with these influential figures were potentially coming to an end!

Not only would he lose a significant source of income, but the once secure and advantageous position he held within the Meteor City's Assembly was now in jeopardy. After all, as one of the highest authorities on Meteor City, many people had their eyes on his seat.

Ronnel's abrupt departure left the elder deeply troubled. But there was no use lamenting—what's done is done.

After frowning in thought for a moment, the old man retrieved his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

Beep~ Beep~ Click

"Hello?"

A calm voice answered after just two rings.

"Chrollo? I heard that during your last gathering, member No. 8 was killed?"

The old man cut straight to the point.

On the other end of the line, Chrollo's voice remained steady and composed, without any sign of irritation:

"Yes, member No. 8 was indeed killed. I'm currently in the process of recruiting new members. Why, Elder, are you interested in this matter? Do you have a suitable candidate?"

"You're right. I actually have one—no, two suitable candidates."

The old man couldn't help but smile. Since he couldn't use Ronnel for himself, he might as well squeeze out every last drop of value from him.

"Both are strong, with unique Nen abilities. One of them can clean up corpses, including removing any traces of resentment or tracking left by other Nen users."

"Oh? A talent for removing Nen traces?"

The voice on the other end of the line sounded intrigued.

"Indeed. As for the other one, they possess a peculiar Nen Beast that can absorb all non-living matter."

As a seasoned elder of Meteor City, he had extensive knowledge of all powerful Nen users who could pose a threat to his position. Shizuku, with her simple nature and open use of her Nen, was an easy target for the old man to analyze and deduce her abilities.

"They both headed northeast. If nothing's changed, they should be heading towards Gumandun City in the north. I'll send you their names, photos, and abilities shortly."

"I see. Thank you for the information."

Chrollo's voice was still calm. "In return, I'll send a sum of money to the Meteor City's Assembly in your name."

The elder's face brightened at Chrollo's words. Then, just as he was about to say something more, the line disconnected.

"Hah~"

The old man let out a long sigh of relief, smiling like a contented chrysanthemum.

With Chrollo's support, his seat on the Assembly would remain secure for now. But what would happen in the future was uncertain. That damned Ronnel—why couldn't he have just stayed in Meteor City?!

His smile faded, and he turned to the middle-aged man in black who stood nearby.

"Who accompanied Ronnel to the small garden yesterday?"

"It was Luca."

"Hmph. Ronnel's decision to leave Meteor City wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing, it was planned. Luca was so close to him, and yet he didn't notice anything amiss. What a waste! Go chop him up and toss him in the landfill."

"…"

The middle-aged man in black looked up, hesitant.

"What are you waiting for? Go!"

"…Yes."

Seeing the fury in the elder's eyes, the man bowed slightly, then opened the door and left the room.

The moment he stepped outside, a glint flashed in his previously calm eyes.

The old tiger is losing its edge. This elder, once vigorous and strong, is now old, clinging desperately to his position, venting his frustrations by killing others. Like a toothless tiger, with no claws left and his tail cut off.

He has lost his former grandeur. The position of elder belongs to those who are capable. Don't blame us for seizing our opportunity!

…

While the elder was negotiating with a certain leader of the spiders, Ronnel and Shizuku had already left Meteor City far behind.

In the wilderness, they occasionally saw trucks passing by, loaded with heaps of garbage destined for Meteor City.

To conserve energy and reach the next city more quickly, Ronnel and Shizuku had hitched a ride with one of the trucks after it dumped its load.

As for how they managed to get a ride—well, the driver was a decent fellow. Not only did he not charge them, but he also handed over the wheel to Ronnel and took a nap on the side.

Ahem, he definitely wasn't knocked out.